Ukrainian Libraries Sequester the Origins of Written Language and History

Often a fixture of childhood or a place of refuge during adulthood, libraries around the world share the pungent smell of binder’s glue, the brittleness of worn texts, and the familiar silence of learning. Yet, reading was once the sole intellectual providence of religious men, and like other regions of the world, in Ukraine the relationship between faith and written language spawned this country’s first libraries.

Tracking the Soulful Traveler Like a Panther

Sometimes, in the month of November, a faint outline of Ukraine casts itself against the steel gray sky, appearing wordlessly in the soulful traveler’s rearview mirror. The faint, porous Ukrainian borders materialize long after the sun begins to wither. Only when the air is motionless, the sky, so crisp, that the teeth ache, and the corn stalks have disappeared under the plow does one detect the foreign vista behind. The film stills rolling across the plains are not part of this century. One does not see the effects of Chernobyl on the bruised land or drink the poisoned water. Most cannot picture the pinched faces of young girls with little to believe in but the familiar strains of pop music and the hands of their boyfriends between their thighs. The empty grocery store shelves and the derelict buildings of a once grand and fortuitous country do not cross the view.

Ukrainian Chocolate

Dentists may despair at the international obsession with chocolate, but no matter one’s nationality this sweet blend of cocoa and sugar is beguiling to palettes everywhere. Svitoch, one of Ukraine’s most popular brands of chocolate, has fed this country’s history of chocolate obsession since the 8th century and continues to satisfy cravings today.

Psanky Eggs and Ukrainian Easter Traditions

Easter bunnies hop across tables in America. Solemn Christian remembrances of Biblical stories of the resurrection capture the attention of many believers in spring as well. While the exquisitely painted and decorated psanky eggs may be a signature of Ukrainian Easter tradition across the world, a host of other customs rooted in pagan belief defines this rite of spring.

Old Folktale - A Ukrainian Cinderella’s Nocturnal Visit

While the familiar story of Cinderella may be permanently etched in the young minds of American and western European children, another tale of a young Ukrainian girl named Oksana spins a parallel yarn of family exile, ill treatment, and just reward. This folktale called Cow’s Head weaves the macabre with moral fortitude to reach a happy ending.

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